Frederick gbinkell



(No Model.) F. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC PIRE EXTINGUISHER; No. 249,466. Patented Nov. 15.1881.

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j y, y UNITI-3D NS'IA-Tns PATENT 'OFFICIIIa FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,466, dated November 15, 1881.

' Application filed March 9, 1881. (No InodelJ To all whom t mag/concern: v i

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, ofthe city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new au d uset'ul Improvement in Automatic Fire Extinguishers; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, formingpart of this specification. This invention has reference to an improvement in a system of pipes distributed through a building `and provided with distributers ccnstructed to be opened,so as to discharge water or other uids automatically on the breaking out of a tire.

In a system for protecting a building against accidental res by means of pipes connected with `a watersupply and distributers, which are opened automatically on the breaking out .of the tire, it is of the highest importance to give timely notice by an alarm that a re has broken out, and also that such an alarm shall be absolutely reliable. It is also important to have the whole system of pipes at all times filled with water,- se as to have every distributer ready for action at any time. To prevent wear, strains, and leakage, it is important that the system of pipes shall not be sub- 'jected to varying pressure and not to any The drawing represents the interior of a, building, in perspective, showing the Water-- supply main, a balance valve for closing the water-supply7 the stand pipe, the devices for operating the supply-valve and the alarm; also showing the distributing-pipes and automatic extinguishers.

In the drawing, a is the water supply pipe 5 b, a balance-valve, controlling the water-supply 5 c, the rising main; d d, `the distributingpipes; f, a check-valve; g, an overow -pipe;v

h, a device consisting of a chamber the interior of which is connected with the stand-pipe,

and which is provided with a diaphragm on which rests a weighted lever, the end of which retains a button, from which a wire extends to the valve of the steam-whistle i. As soonas the pressure in the stand -pipe is reduced the lever will sink with the diaphragm, the button will be released, and the alarm will be sounded.

The device'h may be connected with a striking mechanism or any other alarm which can be operated by the release of the button or the motion of the lever.

7c is a device consisting ol' a small butterflyvalve similar to valve b, having a weighted lever, which rests in a catch forming the short end of the lever, the long end of which is sei cured toa diaphragm supported by the pressure of water iu the pipe c. As soon as the pressure diminishes, the arm of the butterflyvalve is released, the valve opened by the weight, and water enters the pipe t, the weight of `which,'operating on the diaphragm m,ireleases the main valve and turns on the water supply in the same manner as is more fully shown and described in Patent No. 231,711, granted to me August 31,1880, for improvement in automatic fire-extinguishers, to which reference is made here.

The operations of this device are as follows: Water is let into the system of pipes until it llows over by the overflow-pipe g, and, as it is necessary to maintain the water in the standpipe on alevel with the overliow, a small by-pass pipe should connect the supplymain a with the rising main c. This by-pass pipe should be provided with a cock or valve, so that a small quantity of water can bel supplied from time to time or a very small stream be allowed to ow constantly through the same to maintain the level in the stand-pipe and the small surplus be allowed to waste through the overliowpipe g. By maintaining a constant level or head of water in 'the stand-pipe--say ten feet ,above the diaphragm of the device h--a pressure of nearly live poundsper square inch is maintained on the diaphragm,'and, if the diaphragm is loaded with a weight nearly bal- IOO of the distributers is opened the quantity of Water discharged will be drawn from the standpipe so rapidly that the pressure on the diaphragm will be reduced several pounds per square inch.' in a second or two and the operation of the alarm secured.- The same rapid reduction of the head in the stand-pipe, and consequent rapid diminution ofthe pressure, operates on the Whole length of the rising main, and,in fact,on the whole system, and no matter where the device 7c is located, it Will be quickly and certainly operated by this great decrease in pressure, as the alarm device, and therefore the main valve, will be as promptly released, and the full supply of Water turned on. When the main valve is opened the rush of Water under the higher pressure will close the checkvalvef, and thet'ull pressure will be maintained on the pipes.

' By this improvement a small quantity of water produces a iixed and high pressure, which vis almost instantly reduced when one or more distributers are opened, and the alarm, as well as the supplyyalve, is opened by a greater change in pressure than was heretofore possible. The open outlet ot' the stand-pipe allows of the discharge ot' most of the air from the system of pipes when they are lled with Water. As the same water is maintained in the pipes, any reliable anti-freezing mixture can be mixed with the water and the freezing ofthe pipes prevented in Winter. The water-supply being shut oft' by means ofthe main valve b, and the stand-pipe being open on the top, the pressure in the lpipes is only that due to the head-in the stand-pipe, which is always'a constant quantity until the same is rapidly diminished by the discharge of anyone or more ot' the distri b uters. The pipes are not subjected to any sudden variation in pressure caused by Waterhammer, or other causes outside of the system. In a system of automatic fire-extinguishers Where large values depend for protection on the prompt and reliable action of the alarm and the Water supply these advantages are of the highest importance.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of a system of pipes supplied with automatic tire-extinguishers normally filled with Water, but shut oft' from the pressure of the main, and a stand-pipe above the upper system of extinguishers to maintain a uniform pressure of Water in the pipes as long as no extinguisher opens.

2. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of a system of pipes supplied vWith automatic tire-extinguishers normally lled with water, but shut off from the pressure of the main, a stand-pipeabove the upper system of extinguishers to maintain a uniform pressure of water in the pipes as long as no extinguisher opens, and a check-valve at the top ot' the stand-pipe.

3. The combination, with a system ot' automatic hre-extinguishers, ot' the stand-pipe e, provided with the check-valve f and overflow g, as described.

4. The combination, with a system of antomatic nre-extinguishers, of anl alarm operated by a device releasing the alarm by the diminution of pressure, and a stand-pipe extending above the system, constructed to rapidly diminish the pressure and operate the alarm, as described.

FREDERICK GItINNE-LL.

J. A. MILLER, Jr., WM. L. Goor. 

